22/23 season expectations.

[SoccerHQ]

I like Gerrard and want him to do well, but I also recognise his faults, and hope he doesn't turn out to be a stubborn arse with the Watkins and Ings up front nonsense. We've got the squad to be top 8, but a lot of it will depend on how he manages it. If we see the flattering-to-deceive triumvirate of Mings, McGinn and Watkins starting the majority of matches, I think top 10 will be the best we can hope for.

You've hit it on the head - far too loyal - he talks the talk but backs off and seems afraid to drop players or what he perceives to be the bigger names like Coutinho.

Coutinho was left out for both Burnley games at back end of last season so I don't think it's fair to say he's undroppable.

That said I'm not really convinced Gerrard has much clue how to intergrate Coutinho and Buendia in same 11 and get them combining effectively, he seemed to give up on it after the dismal Watford loss and pretty much every game for last three months had only one of them starting.

Feels like a season where our defence will be pretty solid with the two new signings and full season of Digne but we'll constantly trip over ourselves in final third trying to shoehorn Ings and Watkins into same 11.

From the comfort of my armchair I'd love us to go back to 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 and have Bailey on the right, one of Coutinho/Buendia drifting in from other side and give Archer a run of starts in August, think it's a gamble worth taking.

[SoccerHQ]

Our strongest position is attacking midfield. If he plays two up top to sacrifice a player from Coutinho, Buendia, Bailey, Ramsey and Traore (who I still rate) questions should be asked. Smith lost his job for messing about with his system to accomodate Tuanzebe (!!!) and Ings. Hopefully Gerrard is cute enough to not make the same mistake.

Top 8 squad. Eighth minimum. Cups are what they are.

I agree with the first part. Ollie did everything half hearted last season, pressing, workrate, finishing. Not sure if he's lost belief since Grealish left or other stuff is going on off the pitch but he was a shadow of his excellent first season even if his goal tally was o.k in the end.

Ings bar a few well taken goals was a massive disappointment to me and he isn't getting any younger which was always a problem with that sort of signing.

To not sign another CM just to play the two of them together would be very frustrating. As I said in last post I'd be tempted to give Archer a run of starts in August as I really think he could explode at prem level if he scores in first few games.

8th as minimum is a bit unrealistic I think though. Leicester last season finished 8th despite having a drop in standards. This was despite Vardy being out for three months, endless injuries in defence and also reaching europa SF.

We still have to prove those things, we should be finishing above Wolves and Brighton though. Newcastle is a bit more up in the air but they haven't strengthened as much as I thought so far.

[sid1964]

With the squad as it currently is then 10th in the league

Hoping that we win the FA Cup

[Goldie.7]

This squad pre window closure...

12th - 16th | No silverware.

[UK Redsox]

As is....11th > 13th

With a new forward (or if Cam proves that his potential is real) and, maybe, another midfield option....8th > 10th

No cup wins

[Axl Rose]

6th

[chrisw1]

With our squad and funding anything below 8th is a failure.  We need to stop thinking 10th is progress and good enough.  It's not.  We underperformed last season - 14th isn't an acceptable starting point to base our aspirations for this season on.

[Nunkin1965]

Top 8-10 with 2 very decent Cup runs for me.

[chrisw1]

As is....11th > 13th

With a new forward (or if Cam proves that his potential is real) and, maybe, another midfield option....8th > 10th

No cup wins

You honestly think our squad is 11-13th  material?  A squad with the likes of Coutinho, Kamara, Digne, Carlos, Buendia, Bailey, Ramsey, McGinn should righly be finishing below the likes of Brighton, Southampton, Wolves, Newcastle and Palace?

[ChicagoLion]

It Gerrard persists with the same ideas and players from last season I don’t see much improvement and he could be under pressure by the time the WC starts.

[Chris Smith]

With our squad and funding anything below 8th is a failure.  We need to stop thinking 10th is progress and good enough.  It's not.  We underperformed last season - 14th isn't an acceptable starting point to base our aspirations for this season on.

That’s how I see it. This is the first pre-season since promotion where there have been no undue disruptions. No replacing loan players or Covid and no players leaving to throw a spanner in the works.

Gerrard has been backed we’ve got competition for places so I’m hoping that coupled with some increased use of the whole squad we have a much more consistent season.

[ChicagoLion]

As is....11th > 13th

With a new forward (or if Cam proves that his potential is real) and, maybe, another midfield option....8th > 10th

No cup wins

You honestly think our squad is 11-13th  material?  A squad with the likes of Coutinho, Kamara, Digne, Carlos, Buendia, Bailey, Ramsey, McGinn should righly be finishing below the likes of Brighton, Southampton, Wolves, Newcastle and Palace?

I agree but if he sticks with Ings and Watkins up front, Mings at centre half and Mcginn in no mans land.

[chrisw1]

It Gerrard persists with the same ideas and players from last season I don’t see much improvement and he could be under pressure by the time the WC starts.

You don't see Kamara, Carlos and a revitalised Bailey as much improvement?  Market value of that lot would be about £90m.

[ChicagoLion]

It Gerrard persists with the same ideas and players from last season I don’t see much improvement and he could be under pressure by the time the WC starts.

You don't see Kamara, Carlos and a revitalised Bailey as much improvement?  Market value of that lot would be about £90m.

See above, I think he has the players to push on but I am worried that he is not going to be radical enough.

[Risso]

It Gerrard persists with the same ideas and players from last season I don’t see much improvement and he could be under pressure by the time the WC starts.

You don't see Kamara, Carlos and a revitalised Bailey as much improvement?  Market value of that lot would be about £90m.

If Bailey pushes on and can get into double figures for goals then that would make a huge difference.